Genealogical Education

I would like to share my genealogical educational journey so far, with emphasis on what I am doing now. I will also list some options for you to think about if you are interested in learning more about family history research. Before I explain my current education, I would like to share my previous genealogical education. I enjoy learning and taking courses, probably from the teacher in me.

I took some individual genealogical courses online from Brigham Young University such as Ireland Genealogy research, American Law, and life history writing. I then began working on a bachelor’s degree which included a certificate and an associate degree in Family History Research from Brigham Young University – Idaho. The courses were very well presented and taught. At graduation, I walked across the same stage I had 45 years earlier.

I was able to research and write multiple research reports according to their format. The last course, 499 specialty research, I had the opportunity to do work on a narrative report to prepare for what I thought at the time would be my next step. This class also explained two certifications I might want to complete next. The options highlighted were the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) and the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen).

My first choice was Board for Certification of Genealogists because they had a Lecturer certification. Once the BCG is earned, I would work on the lecturer certification. As a speaker and educator I wanted this certification. To learn about this certification visit the following.

The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists certification is done for a specific location. They had recently added Western Canada as one of the locations. A friend, Linda Yip, was the first to certify in the region. ICAPGen had also created a Lecturer certification.

With the Western Canada region created and the lecturer certification added, I decided to start with the ICAPGen. At BYU Idaho I learned what was needed for their classes. For ICAPGen certification, I needed to know their requirements. ICAPGen provides study groups. I signed up for the Four Generation Project Study Group. The study group was amazing. I learned exactly what was expected and how they grade the report. It is a little bit different than what BYU-I asked for. The purpose of the study group is to revise and improve one generation of the Four Generation project. We were taught as a group and then broke into small groups with our mentor. Mentors helped two students with what they specifically need to improve to be able to pass and answer questions.

After submitting the first half of one generation of our full report, two other classmates read and commented on our report. We had the opportunity to evaluate two other students’ reports. We then finished the second half of the first generation. Two other students read and added their thoughts, and I read two more reports. All of this was very educational. They also have study groups for the testing part of the certification. To learn more about ICAPGen certification visit the following

I am working on finalizing my research report to submit. Some people register for a second study group to fine tune another generation before submitting their project. Once I earn my AG, I will work on my AGL.

Are you thinking about wanting to learn more or hone your skills? Here are some additional options.

First, the following are two websites that list many educational options.

FamilySearch Wiki has a page listing education opportunities, which is divided by country. 
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Professional_Genealogy_Educational_Opportunities_-_International_Institute

Conference Keeper website also has a list 
https://conferencekeeper.org/genealogy-education/

Different types of education opportunities
The following are options I wanted to highlight. Some are listed on the sites above.

Institutes
There are a few institutes held throughout the year. These are usually a weeklong intense learning about a specific subject such as a language to read documents in another language, research in an area, recording family history. Many now include an online option. Well known options are GRIP is in Pittsburg and SLIP is in Salt Lake City.

Genealogical Studies (International Institute of Genealogical Studies: IIGS)
IIGS provide courses for 12 different certificates. The certificates include different locations throughout the world, methodology, historian, and DNA. To learn more check out their website at https://genealogicalstudies.com/.

Area Certifications
Check out areas you are researching to see if courses are offered in your research area. If there are courses, check to see if they also have certificates as well. Here are two unique Canadian certificates.

Genealogical institute of the Maritimes
https://www.genealogicalinstitute.ca

Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Certification Courses
https://saskgenealogy.com/education/certification-courses

DNA Certification
Investigative Genetic Genealogy Accreditation Board (IGGAB).
As I volunteer with mitoYDNA.org, I want to earn this certificate. This will most likely be my next project after the AG and AGL. I will also at some time complete the CG and CGL.

From their website they state:
“IGGAB has addressed the urgent need for ethical standards and proof of proficiency in this rapidly developing field by developing professional standards and an examination process that allows applicants to become an Accredited Investigative Genetic Genealogist (AIGG).”
https://www.iggab.org

Conferences and webinars
These are always great opportunities to learn in a variety of places. Many genealogical societies hold webinars. Check out the genealogical society where you are researching to see what they offer.

What are your next plans?
Enjoy the learning and have fun!

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